A trio of Burnden’s die-hard cross country runners were out for the Sunday League last week and it was a watery one at Croxteth Park fpor skipper Paul Duke anc Co.

Duke said: “These are great events on Sundays where men and ladies race together over a five-mile course - no times are recorded just positions.

“Croxteth Park is renowned for having a boggy section of the course where runners are literally wading through water, but it is also a friendly atmosphere - an event organised by runners for runners.

“This was the final race of the season and I can’t wait for the next season to start in October.”

Tony Fulop added: “I enjoyed the race. As I have said of the three leagues we compete in I think this is the best.

“They are very friendly and inclusive, I enjoy all their events.”

Keith Thomas said: “A great venue, good course and the deep water obstacle was good to wash the mud off from my fall.”

Final Burnden positions:- Paul Duke 48th, Keith Thomas 114th, Tony Fulop 174th.

Though still at university, Burndener Francesca Caine does not let the grass grow under her running shoes and she took part in the BUCS (British Universities College and Sport) Cross Country event with her Edge Hill team at Temple Newsam - landscaped grounds surrounding a Tudor-Jacobean house in Leeds.

Navigating a steep hill, which was joined by many others, Caine finished the course in a brilliant 43mins 1sec.

A small group of Burndeners were at Blackburn to warm up for the season with their Winter Warmer 10K.

Described as ‘friendly but challenging’, this course begins on Witton Park’s athletics track, takes runners on a hike up Buncer Lane and descends through Pleasington countryside before finishing with a sprint track finish.

Suleman Badat, 2023’s Club Championship men’s winner, put in another excellent performance as he collected first M45 in a superb 38:54.

David Smith was home in 49:13, Richard Blake in 59:23, Joanne Eddleston in 1:18:08 and Gillian McGowan clocked 1:18:09.

Mr Sparkles Dark Un is probably the best name for a race that I’ve ever heard and, quite unsurprisingly, it’s a night run!one of the best names for a night run - a fell race by head torch.

The Dark Un took Verity Harrison and Ged Turner five miles around Roddlesworth and Darwen moor and Turner said: “There were lots of steep climbs, but it was great fun and we got chip butties afterwards.”

Harrison finished in 51:14 and Turner clocked 57:53.

Proudly wearing the black and grey, Burndeners were on new turf for parkrun last week as captain couple, Linda and Gareth Doherty - ladies’ and men’s captains respectively - had chosen Alexandra Parkrun in Moss Side, Manchester, as the first event in the much anticipated Club Championship list.

With the intention of repeating the event in December - and adding an unknown prize for the most improved - this parkrun was hotly contested.

Newcomer to Burnden and esteemed triathlete, Matt Dewhurst, has been making waves at the cross-country courses and here was no exception. He was the first Burndener across the parkrun line in an incredible 17:20.

Badat was next to cross, smashing his personal best in 18:03. Matt Whittington followed, also with a new PB, in 18:13.

First ladies to cross were Sarah Watton, in 20:11, Lyndsay Darbyshire (21:52) and Gwen Kinloch (22:15) - keeping her age-grading percentage at a high level.

Philip Glassbrook crossed in 29:29 - his fastest time in four years and only four minutes slower than in 2013.

There was also a big welcome back to running for Mel Walker, in 33:00.

PB setters: Marcus Chester 19:30, Andrew Crawford 21:06, David Smith 21:46, Simon Entwistle 23:31, Mark Butler 25:58, Jenni Partington 26:06, Kathryn Baron 29:36, Jennifer Entwistle 30:05, Anthony Fulop 31:27, Sue Marland 32:40.

Other Alexandra finishers: Paul Duke 18:30, Lee White 18:37, Tom Stratton 19:35, Martin Whitehead 19:41, Andy Dunleavy 19:45, Ravi Patel 19:59, Ian Pudge 20:15, Mark Jackson 20:44, Gareth Doherty 20:49, Mark Cannon 21:14, Marcus Hamer 21:44, Jonathan Sangster 22:01, Adrian Ashburn 22:03, Michael Caine 22:28, Paul Willan 22:32, Shirley Staveley 22:33, Lawrence McDonald 22:40, Gareth Lowe 22:44, Colm O’Brien 23:08, Simon Marland 23:17, Vicki Hamer 23:41, Paul Drew 23:43, Ivan Brown 23:43, Neil Counsell 23:52, Anne Ferguson 23:55, Linda Doherty 24:09, Rick Winnard 25:15, Tony Woodiwiss 25:40, Kathryn Berry 26:05, Andy Warburton 26:30, Richard Blake 26:41, Teresa Riley 27:00, Emma Walker 27:21, Nicola Halsall 27:56, Mark Turner 28:47, Gillian Morris 28:51, Sandra Caine 28:54, Luke Newell 29:15, Carolyn Edwards 29:36, Joanna Warburton 29:39, Sarah Brown 30:16, Don Taylor 30:29, Natasha Clarke 31:00, Steven Snape 31:59, Joanne Eddleston 33:25, Shirley Robinson 33:38, Sarah Woodiwiss 33:38, Sharon Drew 33:40, Andrew Parkinson 33:48, Jen Forkin 34:15, Robert Bell 34:43, Joyce Tyldesley 35:00, Cheryl Dunleavy 35:43, Gillian McGowan 36:17, Ian Mann 38:34, Trevor Eagle 40:52.

Results elsewhere: Krakow, Poland - Lyall Mew 20:39, Josh Palmer 30:53; Bolton - Chris Worthington 24:02, Gemma Chapman 32:39, Paul Johnson 35:32; Heaton Park - Gayle Gerrard 26:49; Haigh Woodland - Carol Richardson 32:00.